As a standard measure in times of national emergency, the Consuls of the Roman Senate appointed a Dictator; a single man to act as commander-in-chief, with total military authority. However, with their Consuls either dead or absent, the Senate moved to elect Quintus Fabius Maximus themselves, naming him 'Prodictator'. Although this move only just fell short of breaking the Roman constitution, it nevertheless gave him total power. Fabius moved to initiate his new war strategy immediately, but was hampered by the appointment of Marcus Minucius Rufus, his political enemy, as his second-in-command.
